The First Time Danny Saved Sam
by Bob Zox
Summary: PreGhost DxS! Danny, Sam and Tucker in junior high, before the lab portal. Sam learns about and adopts the Gothic lifestyle. Danny saves Sam before he gets ghost powers. enjoy!
1. Chapter 1 Rebirth

Chapter One - Rebirth 

"That's all for today class. See you tomorrow. Tucker, may I talk to you before you leave?"

Tucker, thinking ahead, didn't put his books in the backpack yet, in case Mr. Freeman wanted to discuss today's science assignment. He stood up. It was his last class of the day, but his favorite one at Addams Junior High.

"Wassup Mr. Freeman?"

"Tucker, I need a lab assistant. I thought you might want to help clean and put away the lab equipment. Interested?"

"Sure Mr. Freeman!" The thirteen year old could hardly contain his excitement at being called a Lab Assistant. The teacher showed Tucker where the test tube brushes and soap were and then began grading papers at the back of the class.

A few minutes later, two dark haired heads, one girl and one boy peeked into the classroom door. Danny Fenton glanced at the teacher then at Tucker.  
"Psst! Hey Tuck! We were waiting for you! Can't you leave yet? We're going to BandLand Music at the mall."

"Oh yeah, uh, hang on". In his excitement at being a Lab Assistant (and the bragging rights to go with it) he had forgotten about their plans.  
"I'm finished Mr. Freeman, gotta go. Bye"

"Thanks Tucker." Mr. Freeman smiled. There was more he had planned for Tucker to do, but he had noticed Tucker's friends calling him from the doorway. Gregarious teenagers, he thought, year after year the kids never change. He went back to grading homework.

The trio's footsteps rustled through the October leaves. It was a cool breezy afternoon while they walked through the residential neighborhood to the business district.

"How can you actually like staying after class Tuck, especially with Mr. Freeman?" asked Danny. He too was thirteen.

"I was not just staying after class." said Tucker. "I am the Science Class Lab Assistant!" with a pride that reminded Danny of his father Jack.  
Danny looked at Samantha Manson, and shrugged. She frowned, an expression that fit her serious but beautiful face. Her concerned look was amplified by dark eyebrows, conveying strength, but softened by lavender eyes, and a girly, white fuzzy sweater, a lavender scarf and jeans with pink and white tennis shoes. She knew that some science classes dissected frogs, a practice she thought cruel and inhumane.

"Do you have to clean up dissection knives Tuck?" She asked with slight annoyance.

"What? Naw, we don't do anything like that. This month's chapter is chemistry!"

Samantha relaxed with half closed eyes. Whew!

They arrived at the mall, bustling with after-school kids. There was a crowd at BandLand Music. Something was going on.  
The friends walked closer to the action and could see a guest band signing autographs for kids that did not seem to be from around the neighborhood, but from out of town. The boys were wearing black leather shirts, black lace shirts, black pants and black boots,leather belts and even collars with chrome rivets. But the girls!

Samantha stared: black fishnet stockings, black plaid skirts, leather tops with fishnet trim, black hair like hers, dark, dark red lipstick and black eyeliner and mascara. A sinister looking crowd, but they were all smiling and laughing, excited to get an autograph from the band members who looked like their audience on steroids. A CD of the band's music was playing loudly, a sinister, depressing song with a lonely theme.  
"Whoa" was all Tucker could say. Danny was staring too. Neither boy noticed Samantha getting close to one of the girls to admire close up.

The gothic girl Samantha had approached noticed her stare: "Hey Snow White, you like VolVox too? You look more like a Hillary Duff fan!" There were smiles from around the crowd.

"I like rock, but where did you buy your clothes? Totally cool!" Samantha was in awe.

"Thanks cupcake. My name is Mary by the way"

"I'm Samantha."

"Thanks for the compliment Sam. I buy my stuff at the Open Coffin in Cedarville. The Open Coffin gets all of my money."

Surprised at the goth-girl's friendliness, Samantha liked the new nickname, it seemed fitting for a gothic version of herself. She was going to make her parents drive her to Cedarville, credit card in hand. She had no problem making them take her to other stores.

"Uhhh Samantha, let's look over at the other side of the stores, these people ...smell..." Danny almost whispered, glancing sideways at Mary. The girl smiled at Danny revealing fanged teeth, a cosmetic investment.

Danny and Tucker each grabbed an arm and walked Samantha towards the displays on the other side of the store.

"Hey guys, don't call me Samantha anymore, from now on, I'm Sam, OK?" Danny and Tucker looked at each other. Sam was a guy's name, but any teenage boy looking at 'Sam' would instantly know she was female. OK, what harm could it do?

"OK, whatever" said Tucker.

"Sure SAM" teased Danny. Sam smiled.

"Thanks guys! Ice cream on me!" Not only did she feel a new sense of her own unique identity, but she liked having boys on either side taking her by the arms.

She had known Danny since the second grade, and they were good friends, but lately he was growing up to be kind of cute, especially his sparkling blue eyes. But he could be nerdy too. She dismissed any conscious notion about Danny being more than her best friend, and began humming the Gothic tune she had heard in BandLand. The trio walked out of the music store and across the mall to the ice cream store.


	2. Chapter 2 The Open Coffin

Chapter Two - The Open Coffin 

Fall was in full form this Saturday morning, brilliant colors of red, yellow and orange, swirling all around outside Sam's bedroom window, but all she wanted to see was black. She had been trying to imagine how to convince her parents to go to Cedarville, so she could go shopping at the Open Coffin, and stock up on Gothic clothing. She must have her new look by Halloween, but her parents, used to the upper socio-economic strata, detested that rather unkempt town.  
She was still wearing tennis shoes, jeans and sweaters, but now detested them, feeling like she was not unique in the crowd of girls at school, all dressing more or less the same way. Bebe, Dolce&Gabana, what cookie-cutter fashion! Bleah!

The money wasn't an object, her parents just did not want to be seen in Cedarville. She went online and looked for Danny. His dad was a terrible driver, but maybe his mom...

"Samantha?" her own mother called. She winced at the name. She really wanted to leave the old name behind.  
"Danny and Tucker are here."

"Thanks mom". She slid off the bed and as she walked to the bedroom door the boys appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Hey Sam, did you go to the Open Coffin yet? Tuck and I..." Danny's voice trailed off and his mouth hung open. So did Tucker's. Their eyes were looking around her room: gone was the four poster bed with a white silky curtain atop it. Now there was a black, wrought iron bedframe, with the iron in a spider's web pattern! Sam may not have been able to convince her parents to go to Cedarville, but they had no problem ordering new furniture online and paying to have it delivered,with a bedspread in a dark, tufted Royal Purple . Black pillows loomed large against the headboard like an ominous mountain range.

There were short candles in round, red glass holders on the dresser. Her carpet was black and shaggy. Sam seemed out of place in her jeans and green sweater, but she would have her day!

"Isn't it gothic?" She said proudly.

"Uh, yeah, totally" muttered Tucker. He was adding up in his head how many gadgets he could buy from the electronics store with the money that was spent on this rennovation.

Danny just stared, then turned to Sam and smiled. Sam was full of surprises lately! This was fun.

Sam had never seen Danny looking at her like this before, a devil may care grin and sparkling eyes intent on her. She didn't know what to think, or what he was thinking, and began to feel unsure of herself. This was unusual, and she did not know if she liked it or not. She was always confident and knew what was going on, outside and in. Now she didn't know what was going on in or out! She looked away, out the window.

"I still can't talk my parents into taking me, they are such snobs. Danny, do you think your mom would drive us there?"

"Yeah, that is what Tuck and I were going to tell you, we were looking for Halloween outfits, and thought of the Open Coffin you told us about. Since it is for Halloween, my mom will take us, no prob! Then you can just buy...extra stuff while you are there!"

"Yeah, great idea!" she turned back to face him, and look him in the eyes. He still had that grin, but when she stared into his eyes to try and see what was there, it was his turn to break off the gaze, and he turned to Tucker. Sam could see Danny was blushing! So he was feeling something too! New feelings were rising up from deep inside of her. Nice feelings.

"Tuck, let's roll man, gettin' late! To the Fenton RV!" The trio hit the street toward Danny's. He hoped Sam's room was too dark for her to have noticed his face. Darn it, this was happening more often lately!

The sun was setting, and the street lights came on, except for the one that was broken over the Open Coffin. The only illumination to the street was from within the store, a dark ruddy red light with yellow beams that pierced between the display window curtains. Various mannequins dressed in black, portrayed men and women in an erie, suspended mock funeral.  
The display coffin was open, the hired corpse wrinkled and wearing a tuxedo, gray wrinkled hands folded across his chest.

Sam's eyes were wide. She wanted to buy the whole store!

"Now kids, you shouldn't need more than 30 minutes to pick out a...a costume." said Danny's mother Maddie. His mother's red hair seemed appropriate for October, and her lavender eyes fixated on the realistic looking ghost hovering over the open coffin display. She had the same color eyes as Sam.

"OK mom", said Danny. He and Tucker followed behind Sam. She was leading the way with a charge...card!

Inside, Tucker and Danny were so enthralled by the cool stuff for sale, they did not realize they had been in the store for 30 minutes already. They also failed to notice that Sam had been very busy. But she was taking full advantage of the time, and knew she was ready to reveal the new her.  
"Hey guys, what do you think?" she called from the dressing area. She had stepped out in front of a set of three mirrors, which could show her sides as well as her front.

Danny and Tucker stopped their appreciation of a human skull candle holder, and now appreciated something they had never seen before!

Sam was wearing a tight fitting sleeveless black top, with a logo that said "Death Sucks". She was wearing a black plaid skirt, with dark purple nylons, and what appeared to be black assault boots. Somehow the brutish boots accented her delicate, feminine legs.  
Somewhere along the way she had applied makeup: dark lavender eyeshadow, lavender lipstick that looked like an exotic fresh fruit, ripe for the tasting. Black bangles on her wrists, and the black choker made her neck and shoulders look vulnerable.

"Gaaaaahhhhh...wa wa wa WOW!" Danny finally managed to say. Tucker had a big smile to match his big eyes.

"Am I now totally Goth or what?" She asked.

"Totally" both boys said in chorus, shaking there heads up and down together so comically that Sam had to let loose a laugh.

"You guys don't know Goth from Goethe. This is mild!" But she relished the boys attention with half closed eyes and a smile.

The car horn honked. "Ooops gotta go". She ran over to the checkout counter man.

"I'll pay for this stuff today, but can you keep open a tab? I want to order some more stuff later and have it delivered."

"Sure babe, whatever". This had to be the youngest customer he had ever seen with a gold card. No preset limit.

The three ran out to the Fenton RV, laughing, with a plan.  
"Why Sam, you look amazing!" said Maddie. "But Danny, didn't you and Tucker buy anything?"

"Sweet! You mean I can buy a pierced nose after all?" Danny, Sam and Tucker waited for the reaction, ready to explode.

"Let's go to the Amity Park Department Store"  
They were smiling all the way back.


	3. Chapter 3 The Closed Coffin

Chapter Three - The Closed Coffin 

The checkout man watched the three kids leave in the weird looking RV. Man, that custom job must have cost major bucks! And the girl had a gold card, and even left open a tab.

It was his last sale of the day. He turned off the lights, and went out, locking the door. Tall, muscular with a heavy mustache, his chains clinked with every heavy step of his boots as he walked to the motorcycle parked in back.

Chains on his belt, chains on his face, ear to nose. It was dark, but he put on his dark purple sunglasses, twin circles of fragile glass lenses that were inconsistent with the man who had tatoos on his arms and neck.  
The glasses reflected purple flames as he lit a cigar.

The store was doing poorly, if sales hadn't picked up by now, so close to Halloween, he would be out of business.  
The kid's sale would only carry him a few days. He needed money, and quickly. He stopped, a slow smile stretching over the grizzled, wrinkled face, revealing yellowed teeth on red, red gums. He walked back into the store, puffing. The light inside was on until daybreak.


	4. Chapter 4 Goth comes to Addams Jr High

Chapter Four - Goth comes to Addams Junior High 

Something tasted bad. He smacked his lips. It was his mouth. Danny woke up. "ugh. Monday"  
He rolled out of bed to the shower. Decided to skip it. It really cramped his style when his mom and dad experimented all night long in the lab. He remembered looking at the clock at 2:30 AM when he heard what sounded like electric sparks. Now it displayed 6:30 AM.  
He had to get ready for school. In the closet he saw the black spandex costume he bought at the Amity Park Department store. Samantha...Sam insisted it looked cool, but now he reflected that since she was all into goth, maybe she just wanted him to match her outfits. Sheesh! He was going to have to be more careful now around her. Would his best friend start using feminine trickery on him? Oh man...he had always trusted her. He was becoming confused by changes in their relationship. Wait! What "relationship"? What was he thinking?  
He just wanted things to be the way they used to be...but deep inside, he kept picturing the way Sam looked at the Open Coffin. It was burned into his mind and would not go away. He had strong feelings percolating in him, supressing them with success...for now.

"Morning Danny!" His sister Jasmine was entirely too chipper to suit his mood. The kitchen echoed her greeting loudly as he munched cereal.

"Mornin' Sam" he mumbled into his bowl.

"WHAT did you say? HELLO, I am your sister Jasmine, not Sam!" Her voice was annoyed but she was smiling, bright blue eyes scanning her brother's face for more information about this...turn of events!

"What?" He looked at her with sleepy eyes and a scowl.  
Hooboy, she thought, he is losing sleep over Sam! Wow, this was fun! She had wondered when his hormones would kick in! She couldn't wait to tell mom! She wouldn't look at Sam the same way anymore either. She indulged in a brief daydream about being a bridesmaid...

The RV horn honking broke the reverie. Danny and Jasmine went out to meet their mother, who was waiting to take them to school.

At Addams Junior High, Danny walked over to the usual table where he always met Sam and Tuck. But today: a crowd! And what appeared to be an argument. School quarterback Dash Baxter now had an even better excuse to hassle the "geek patrol", and he played it up loudly:

"Yeah, well it should have been a closed casket funeral!" roars of laughter from the watching crowd.

"Yeah, for your brain!" Shouted Tucker. More laughter. The crowd could go either way. No loyalty.

"Thanks Tuck, but I don't need any help against a pusillanimous porcine!" Dash stepped back from Sam's retort, scratching his head, and trying to think of something to say. The crowd was quiet too. Tucker laughed, and Danny smiled as he got closer. He wasn't in any mood for Dash, but he always stood by his friends! He could guess at the exchange, and decided to counter it face on.

"Wow Sam, you look great! I love the new look!" Sam lowered her eyes and put her hands on her slim hips, smiling at Danny. She knew his motive, but she liked to think he would have said it without the crowd.  
The boys in the crowd agreed, heads nodding with smiles and stares.  
Dash realized he was losing the crowd, and it was almost time for class anyway.

"Let me know when the wake is...geek!". He left.

"Thanks Danny." she put her hand on his shoulder.

"That slug needs to be squashed on the field!" He grunted. But his shoulders relaxed as he felt her touch.  
She could tell. They went to their classes. It was going to be a long day!

At lunchtime, the trio met again at the table. This time there was no Dash, but a few of the younger boys were in orbit a few trees away. Their stares were starting to bug Sam, but then she thought 'a Goth doesn't give a damn about what other people think!'. She was beginning to get her groove and liked it!

"You made a cool splash with your new goth look Sam!" Tucker almost said it with pride. He loved the fact that he was now one of the few geeks to have a hottie for a best friend. He had no hesitation at all about admiring her as a girl, but with respect. Sam knew this, and wished Danny was as open about his feelings as Tucker.He continued:

"But uh, to complete the look, shouldn't you be eating uh, liver or kidney or something?" Tucker hesitated when he saw Sam's furrowed brow.

"Tuck, I just take the best parts of being a goth, not all of it, not the extremes! Jeez"

"So, like, what are the best parts?" Tucker, always the technical and scientific of the three wanted to understand precisely what the new makeover meant for his friend.

"Yeah, and does it involve human sacrifice?" Danny was in tease mode now, smiling.

"That can be arranged!" She looked at Danny with mock menace.  
she continued:

"I like the look, but that is just the superficial aspect. I like the direction, any direction away from the mainstream. I am unique! There are too many people, wandering through life, going where they are told to go, doing what they are told to do, eating what they are told to eat, and wearing what they are told to wear. Life is too short and valuable for me to live that way!" Sam was breathing fast, her face was flushed. She was almost angry describing what drove her to the new lifestyle. Her fists were clenched, her eyes sparkled. Danny was listening, and staring at this new Sam. She was intense!

"OK, so I know what you are trying to get away from, but what are you going towards? What are goths into?" asked Tucker.

"The truth! I want to see what is behind the propaganda! Behind the insincerity! Only if someone is real to me do...I...care..." she realized she had been answering Tucker's question, but looking at Danny. He kept looking at her too, wanting to hear more. He didn't realize that Sam did not know why he was staring at her. She was becoming intimidated again, that rare feeling where she didn't know what was going on.

Tucker was getting his answers all right. There were obvious fireworks going on between these two. Biology was overriding his friend's normal behavior. This was fun!


	5. Chapter 5 Delivery

Chapter Five - Delivery 

Sam rushed home after school, and told Danny and Tucker she had stuff to do. She didn't want them to think she was being too girly trying on more clothes that she expected to be delivered by the Open Coffin today. But she planned on buying Danny a black leather jacket and having him come over eventually to try it on: it would wrap those shoulders of his perfectly! And maybe a black leather beret for Tuck. She was humming the VolVox tune she heard at BandLand Music all the way home. Danny in a black leather jacket, maybe with sunglasses...but no, that would hide those blue eyes and part of his eyebrows.

The loud motorcycle splashed muddy water and leaves as it pulled into the driveway at Sam's house. It's rider was having second thoughts since the girl's second purchase, this bought him more time, and maybe he didn't need a desperate act.  
But when he saw the house, he lost any hesitation: these people could obviously afford it! He got off the bike, untied the small package from the back of the seat, and went to the door. He looked around as he rang the doorbell.

When Sam's mother opened the door she was aghast! "What do you want?"

"Delivery maam. From the Open Coffin."

Sam almost flew down the stairs.  
"I got it mom. Hi, you have my clothes?"

"Some of them, what I could carry on my bike. I need to come back with the delivery van for the rest, but wanted to find the way here first. It uses a lot of gas."

"When can you come back?"

"Around seven or eight tonight."

Sam's mother had been eavesdropping. The man worried her instinct.  
"Sam, I need to talk to you for a minute!"

"Would you excuse me a minute? Be right back."

"Yeah, whatever."

Inside, Sam's mother was paranoid. Whispering, she told Sam:  
"Your father and I are going to a charity dinner at seven, we won't be here. I don't like that man, and don't want him here again! Especially when my thirteen year old daughter is by herself!"

"But mother, I..."

"No objections young lady! Tell him to come back tomorrow or I will cancel the sale!"

"OK, jeez! Wait. What if I have him deliver it to Danny's house? Then I can have Danny bring it over? Please?"

"Well...OK."

Sam went back to the door.  
"I'll give you another address to deliver the rest."

"OK."

Sam gave the man directions and the phone number in case he got lost.  
Then he left, she could hear the motorcycle roaring away even with the door closed.  
Relieved, her mother went upstairs to get ready for the charity dinner.

"Oh, forgot to tell Danny." She ran upstairs to her room, and logged onto the net. Danny and Tucker were online. On the webcam, she told Danny that she hoped he didn't mind, but that delivery van would come over and drop off a prepaid package. She explained her mom's paranoia.

"Uh, but Sam, my parents are going to the charity dinner too. But I guess I can sign for it."

"Thanks Danny." She hoped he didn't open it and look inside! She wanted him to see the new clothes on her, not folded up with expensive price tags on them.

At eight o'clock that evening there was a knock on Danny's door. Danny opened it, recognizing the checkout man from the Open Coffin.  
"Uh hi. Open Coffin right? This is already paid for, right?"

"Right kid. You just have to sign for taking delivery. Should I back up the van to your garage?"

"Uh, how much stuff is there?"

"Five boxes on a pallet. I can take them off the pallet."

Danny knew that people didn't understand the strange things in the Fenton garage.  
"Uh, just unload them in the driveway and I'll bring them in, gotta rearrange space first you know."

"Sure, whatever."

Danny signed. Then the man looked up.

"Mind if I use your bathroom?"

"Uh no, go ahead." Danny was rearranging the garage.

The man finished and left. Danny opened the garage and started moving the boxes inside to the space he made.

Later, he went back to his room. There were instant messages from Sam that must have come in while he was moving the boxes. Sam typed if the delivery was there yet, and was there any problem signing for it.  
Danny typed no, he has it all safely stacked in the garage, ready for her to pick it up anytime. Did she want him to ask his dad to bring them over in the Fenton RV tomorrow? Sure she typed, after school.

He brought up his webcam, but then she signed off. It was 8:45 PM, about the time her parents (and his) would be coming home from the dinner. She was probably busy talking to her folks. Danny went to bed.


	6. Chapter 6 Midnight

Chapter Six - Midnight 

Danny was having trouble sleeping again: he went to bed wondering about Sam using instant messages instead of webcam, and remembered that when it was kind of late, she would switch to IM because she was wearing her nightgown. The thirteen year old boy couldn't quiet his mind down to sleep once that image was in his mind's eye. So he was awake when he heard the doorbell. Looking at the clock, he saw 12:00 AM.

Stumbling downstairs in his red and white polka dot boxers and wrapping a robe around himself, he saw his father Jack was already at the door, with his mom Maddie right behind him. The police were at the door! With Mr. and Mrs. Manson!  
What had been in those boxes!

"Mr. Fenton? I am Sergeant Obee with the Amity Park Police. We need to talk to you and your son Danny."

"What is this about?" asked Jack, he was ready for anything, but Maddie knew that a police visit in the middle of the night could only be bad news.

"We are looking for Samantha Manson. Her parents came home last night and she was missing. An instant message conversation on her computer shows she came over here to pick up some clothes. Is she here?"

Maddie and Jack both looked at Danny. "What? She never came over here!" The adrenaline of fear raced through Danny's veins.  
Where could Sam be at this time of night? Had she gone into some kind of Gothic extreme?

The policemen and the Mansons came inside. Maddie closed the door. His sister Jasmine was now awake and coming downstairs.

"Danny, tell them everything you know!"

Danny was very worried.  
"She asked me if it was ok to have her new clothes delivered here since her parents wouldn't be home, and if I would sign for them. I did, and the boxes are in the garage. But we never talked about her coming over tonight...I mean last night. She sent me an instant message asking if they arrived, and if there was any problem. Then we went to bed. I mean I went to bed. And she went to bed. In her bed. I think."

He shut his eyes. Sam's mom and dad had very angry looks on their faces.

Jasmine went into the garage. Everyone followed. There they could see the boxes with the Open Coffin labels. Sergeant Obee opened one of the boxes. Clothing. He opened all five boxes. All clothing.

"OK boys, let's look around then go to the Open Coffin. Contact the local police, and ask for jurisdiction permission."

Jasmine then led the police upstairs and showed them the upstairs. The police looked under the beds, in the closets, but no Sam. They went back downstairs.  
"Sorry Mrs. Manson, but there is no sign here of your daughter. We will investigate further and let you know." Now the Mansons had very worried looks on their faces.

"We never should have left her home, we should have made her come with us!" Mrs. Manson started crying. They left.

Jack and Maddie were discussing something quietly. They trusted Danny and had heard his side of the story. Jack went downstairs to the lab. Jasmine and Danny went to Danny's room, he was going to see if Tucker was still awake and online. Jasmine was going to give her lovesick brother moral support, but she also wanted a look at his computer.

In Danny's room, Jasmine shoved her brother aside.

"Wait a minute Danny. I have got to see something first"  
She brought up the IM manager software and looked at the history logs. The history showed Danny asking Sam to come over! The timestamp said 8:50 PM.

"What?" said Danny with genuine surprise on his face. Jasmine looked carefully at her brother. He was genuinely surprised. "I never typed that Jazz, I swear!"

Jasmine knew there was something missing from the equation. She knew when Danny was fibbing (extremely rare) and when he was telling the truth, and he was telling the truth now. But the logs!  
She then went to the System log. The time had been changed! Twice! Someone had changed the time to the future, sent the message, then put the time back!  
Jasmine and Danny looked at each other. She knew how she could vindicate her brother now. But where does that leave Sam?

"Come on Danny, we are going for a drive!" She ran to her room to get dressed and then ran downstairs to get the car keys.

Jack and Maddie were already dressed and going out the door.

"Where are you kids going?" asked Maddie.

"Mom, Danny's computer time was changed twice, and we found messages that Danny himself never sent. I believe him. He is being framed!"

Jack and Maddie looked at each other. "We thought so. But we need to find Sam first and get her safely home, and then catch the evil person who did it."  
She softened and put a hand through Danny's hair. "Don't worry dear, we'll find Sam." Danny tried to manage a smile, but his eyes were glistening. Jazz put her hand on Danny's shoulder.

"To the Fenton RV!" shouted Jack.


	7. Chapter 7 The Cold Coffin

Chapter Seven - The Cold Coffin 

The street light above the Open Coffin was still broken, but it didn't matter: police lights blazed like sunshine on the store. Sergeant Obee knocked on the door, announcing the police in a loud voice, but there was no answer.  
"Locksmith!" he shouted.  
The locksmith ran up to the door and had it open in seconds. Search warrant in his shirt pocket, the veteran policeman walked in.

The place reminded him of the city morgue. Skeletons. Skulls. Coffins. Knives with fake blood on them. Permits were required to sell knives. He picked one up. Plastic. Didn't people know there was enough real violence in the world? He could not relate to people wanting violent fantasy.

The police brought in bright lights, making the sinister contents of the store seem out of place and unreal. Searching, they found nobody, but located papers indicating the owner. The name matched the database entry he used to get the warrant. He has also used the owner home address to obtain a search warrant for the man's motel room.  
There was a door to the back. He opened it and went further into the store.

Outside, the Fenton RV screeched to a halt. Jack and Maddie were staring intently at radar screens, and computer monitors filled with realtime police reports. Danny jumped out and ran to the store with Jazz behind him.

As they approached the door they were stopped by officers.  
"This is a crime scene, no entry allowed!"

"Hold up Brian, let them in." said the Sergeant.  
Danny looked at the Sergeant "Have you found Sam?"

"No sign of anyone here son, but wait a minute, I want you here when someone does arrive." Danny and Jazz looked at each other.

Minutes later, two policemen brought in the checkout man, in handcuffs.  
"We searched the motel Sarge. Nothing."

The Sergeant faced the man with contempt. "Where were you last night Halloway, between 7 and 10 PM?"

"I was delivering a sale Officer. This kid over here is a witness. You know I have been a good boy for the past two years." Sergeant Obee knew Halloway well. He was the one who sent him to prison for 10 years for armed robbery. The ex-con had been on parole the last two years, and yes, had been keeping clean and reporting to his parole officer on schedule.

"Now wait a minute!" protested Danny, "I can only say where you were between 8 and 8:45 PM."

"The girl's computer shows her last transmission from home at 8:50. Her parents came home at 10 PM to discover her missing. That still leaves a 70 minute window for you to make a big mistake Halloway."

"I have a witness for that time too. I gave a hitchhiker a ride back to Cedarville. I can show you where I dropped him off."

"Take him downtown boys, and take a statement from him. We're hanging on to you Halloway until we know everything."

"Sure Sarge, I've got nothing to hide." The man smiled. Danny and Jazz knew he was involved somehow.

The police took him away. Another officer took pictures, then left.  
"What now sergeant?" Asked Jazz. Danny looked around as if the police had missed something, but couldn't find any clues.

"If Halloway's alibi checks out, we can only hold him for 48 hours. Then we have to release him, but believe me, we'll be watching him like a hawk." The sergeant's cell phone rang.  
"Obee here...what? When? I'll be right there!" He started towards the door, turning towards the last officer.  
"Lock this place up. A kidnapper just phoned the Manson place with a ransom demand! Halloway is in custody,  
so it can't be him."  
"Kids, go home and go to sleep. Danny: don't leave town." The sergeant left.

The last officer escorted Danny and Jazz to the RV and then locked the door. The Fenton's left.  
What a weird RV he thought. But this store was even stranger. Skeletons and knives, black leather jackets, and in the back room: purple fuzzy slippers. The stuff they sell in Cedarville! He left.


	8. Chapter 8 The Warm Coffin

Chapter Eight - The Warm Coffin 

Something tasted bad. She smacked her lips. It was her mouth. Did she smell a hospital?  
Sam woke up.

She woke up, but could not sit up: a soft and cushioned, but firm ceiling lay above her face six inches away!  
There was a soft yellow glow coming from by her feet at the other end of whatever it was she was in.  
She felt like...it WAS! She was in a COFFIN!

Panic came and went in a flash. She was after all, in a gothic girl's favorite place to sleep, but she would prefer to knowingly get into one, not just wake up uninvited in one. She pushed up on the cover, it was shut tight.  
How had she come to be here?

Thinking back. She was downstairs when she heard what sounded like a truck in the driveway. She went to the front door...then it gets a little fuzzy...she smelled some hospital grade alcohol or gas or something, then.  
oh! Something or someone covering her mouth with a cloth that had a very pungent, stifling smell. She fell but gently.  
The thirteen year old girl was very smart, but she had no knowledge of chloroform, and it's anesthetic effect.

There was a note taped to the top:  
"Bottled water on left, but go easy, cause you are not going anywhere. Crackers on right. Push foot pedal by your left foot to turn light on/off."

So, that was encouraging. Someone wanted her to stay alive, and even comfortable, if confined. She must avoid touching the note, it might have fingerprints. Ditto water bottles. Someone was going to pay for this mistreatment! She could hear a small fan by her feet. She pounded the cover. Pretty solid. She hit the sides. Same thing. She tried kicking, but could not get enough distance to swing her legs to achieve any force.

Six bottles of water. A box of crackers. She was feeling a little calmer now. 'Think girl, think!...'

Then she heard some clicking noises from outside. A dial tone, and a phone number being dialed so precisely it must have been an autodialer, not a person. Sam cupped her ear to the right side and listened. Her mother's voice answered!

"Hello?"

"MOM! MOM! IT'S ME, SAMANTHA! HELP!" Sam screamed. She cupped her ear to the side again. Another voice, low and menacing:

"Shutup and listen! I have your daughter! She is safe, but won't be unless you take $500,000 to the Amity Park Jail, and deposit it in $50,000 parcels to each of the 10 inmates there. You have 48 hours! If it is paid, she will be released. If not, well, whatever!" CLICK.

Sam could not make out the voice, but it seemed familiar somehow. But now she knew for sure she had been kidnapped!

Having plenty of time, she began to work it out: it couldn't be a plot by ten inmates, they would simply all be re-arrested and charged with kidnapping. But if it were just one of them, he could 'hide' in numbers: the police would not know which one of the 10 was the culprit. But that didn't make any sense, how could she have been kidnapped by a felon in jail? It didn't make any sense. She didn't bother worrying about the money, her mom and dad could easily afford a half-million dollars, without a loan. She wanted to escape, not to save the money, but to get the crook who did this to her! She thought of Danny and Tuck. What would they be doing or thinking? How could she help them to find her?

She had plenty of time to think about it...


	9. Chapter 9 A Thousand Dreams

Chapter Nine - A Thousand Dreams 

Danny was tired, but stretched out on his bed, he couldn't help thinking of Sam.  
Where was she? Was she ok? Her face, with the lavender lips that looked so kissable was detailed in his thoughts. He hoped her mom and dad would pay the ransom soon and buy her release. She was worth ten times the ransom demanded. More. She was priceless. He rolled over on his stomach, burying his head in the pillow.  
He could still see her as she was dressed at the Open Coffin, but now images of the Open Coffin as a crime scene flashed through his mind too. Images of her in her nightgown floated in his mind. He hugged his pillow. Sam! He punched the headboard. He had to do something! He got up and got dressed. One way or another he had to get her back!

Jasmine was online in her bedroom, doing web searches on Halloway. A knock at the door.

"Yes?" She looked at her clock. It was 3:00 AM!

"Jazz, it's me." Danny knew he had to wait for his sister to open the door, even though he was in a hurry. He wanted action now.

The door opened. "Danny, your dressed again. Going somewhere?" She went back to her desk, but looked at him, her face at an angle.

"Jazz, I need you to drive me back to the Open Coffin. I could sense there is something I overlooked there. Some clue. I have to go back"

"Hmmmmm, well, I was thinking of going back anyway, mom told me that the caller ID on the Manson's phone had the Open Coffin number on it. But the call came when the police were there! What kidnapper could call right where the police are at the same time? They are checking phone numbers with the phone company to make sure the caller ID wasn't wrong."

Danny took Jazz by her shoulders, turning her away from the desk to face him.  
"Good, then let's go, now! I feel every second she is gone, she is running out of time!"

Jazz could see the loving concern in her brother's eyes. He was lovesick for Sam!  
"OK, get out and let me get dressed. Meet me at my car." Jack and Maddie had bought Jazz a little sports car when she was promoted a grade. She was the only 16 year old Senior at Casper High.

Outside, the kids saw that the Fenton RV was gone. Jack and Maddie had gone to the phone company. They weren't getting any sleep either. They had probably expected the kids to go to sleep in preparation for school the next day, but Danny only wanted to prepare for rescuing Sam.

They buckled up and drove for the main road to Cedarville.

----------------------------------------------

Arriving at the Open Coffin, they parked and walked to the front door of the store. There was crime scene tape across it. Jazz hesitated, but Danny didn't care, he tried the door. Locked.  
While Jazz kept watch, Danny went around to the windows, looking inside.  
There were no lights inside...but wait! A sliver of a light beam narrowly shining through a crack...in the floor! Danny grit his teeth and punched the large display window with his right fist. It broke easily, but in large jagged pieces. His right forearm had a dark liquid streak across it that Jazz knew would be crimson had it been light enough to see.

The sound of breaking and falling shards of glass made Jazz cringe. But Danny was then able to crawl over the fake corpse in the display and go inside. His blood dripped on the corpse.  
He opened the door from inside for Jazz.

He pointed to the light coming from the floor crack below. Then he picked up the phone by the cash register and with a yank, pulled out the cord.

"Danny, what..." Jazz thought her brother was losing it now. Maybe it was a bad idea coming out here.

"Jazz, call the Open Coffin number on your cell phone."

She did. A ringing! A phone ringing from below the floor! But more surprising, an answer:  
CLICK.  
"Shutup and listen! I have your daughter! She is safe, but won't be unless you take $500,000 to the Amity Park Jail, and deposit it in $50,000 parcels to each of the 10 inmates there. You have 48 hours! If it is paid, she will be released. If not, well, whatever!" CLICK.

The ransom message! So it had come from the Open Coffin. Danny looked around. There was a Grim Reaper scythe leaning against the wall, next to a dummy by the same name. He slipped the blade between the floor planks and popped it up in one push.  
More light, Jazz leaned down and looked. A tape machine and a laptop, next to a coffin. But this coffin had an extension cord going to it and a hinged, combination lock on the casket door.

Danny knew his instinct had been right. He threw down the scythe and was pulling up planks with his bare hands. Now he had room to drop down into the crawl space.

"SAM! SAM! CAN YOU HEAR ME?" He pounded on the coffin. It pounded back!

"Danny! It's me, Sam! Help!" Her cries were muffled.

Jazz handed her brother the scythe. The blade easily had enough leverage to pop the hinge screws out of the coffin wood. He opened the casket door. The light was dim, but it illuminated the most beautiful face he knew. Sam sat up in a wrinkled purple nightgown. "Oh Danny!" He hugged her. She began crying. Jazz was crying too. The Grim Reaper had helped save a life!

Danny picked her up out of the casket and lifted her to the floor above.

Outside, car lights. The Fenton RV and the police were pulling up.  
Jazz went out and explained. Sergeant Obee came in to see Danny and Sam hugging each other.

"Fenton, you crossed a police barrier." But he was smiling. Jazz managed a tearful smile at the sergeant.

"Officer, it wasn't my brother's fault, I drove him here!"

"Trying to steal the credit?" Sergeant Obee still smiled. This was going to help him put Halloway away for good. Though it wasn't likely, crooks could even get the death penalty for kidnapping!

Danny and Sam paid no attention to the sergeant or to Jazz, or to their moms and dads walking into the store. Sam never wanted to leave Danny's arms. She felt safe, not because of the police, or to be out of the coffin, but because Danny saved her.

Danny kissed her cheek, kissed her neck, kissed her lips. She held on to him for dear life. There was nothing else in the world but them. He looked at her. He savored the face he knew would launch a thousand dreams.


End file.
